Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fabrication of carbon microcapsules containing silicon nanoparticles for anode in lithium ion battery

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
Colloid and Polymer Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Carbon microcapsules containing silicon (Si) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared from silicon-embedded polymer microspheres. The precursors, polymeric microspheres containing silicon nanoparticles were fabricated by a facile emulsion polymerization with surfactants, sodium dodecyl sulfate and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. The effects of monomer, surfactant concentration, and ionic character of surfactant on the formation of microspheres were demonstrated. The successful fabrication of polystyrene/polydivinylbenzene microspheres with Si NPs was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Subsequent thermal treatment produced carbon microcapsules having Si NPs. Volume shrinkage of polymer spheres during carbonization step resulting in the formation of internal free spaces in carbon microcapsules is the critical process in this experiment, which can accommodate volume changes of Si NPs during Li ion charge/discharge processes. The successful encapsulation of Si NPs with exterior carbon shell was clearly shown by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The change in size distribution and structure of polymer and carbon microspheres was also revealed. The cyclic performances of these Si@C microcapsules were measured with lithium battery half cell tests.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bruce PG, Scrosati B, Tarascon JM (2008) Nanomaterials for rechargeable lithium batteries. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 47:2930–2946

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Guo YG, Hu JS, Wan LJ (2008) Nanostructured materials for electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices. Adv Mater 20:2878

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Brousselya M, Biensanb P, Simon B (1999) Lithium insertion into host materials: the key to success for Li ion batteries. Electrochim Acta 45:3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Noh M, Kwon Y, Lee H, Cho J, Kim Y, Kim MG (2005) Amorphous carbon-coated tin anode material for lithium secondary battery. Chem Mater 17:1926

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lee kT, Jung YS, Oh SM (2003) Synthesis of tin-encapsulated spherical hollow carbon for anode material in lithium secondary batteries. J Am Chem Soc 125:5652

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Zhang WM, Hu JS, Guo YG, Zheng SF, Zhong LS, Song WG, Wan LJ (2008) Tin-nanoparticles encapsulated in elastic hollow carbon spheres for high-performance anode material in lithium-ion batteries. Adv Mater 20:1160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lou XW, Li CM, Archer LA (2009) Content designed synthesis of coaxial sno2@carbon hollow nanospheres for highly reversible lithium storage. Adv Mater 21:2536

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Deng D, Lee JY (2009) Reversible storage of lithium in a rambutan-like tin–carbon electrode. Angew Chem Int Ed 48:1660

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Chen G, Wang Z, Xia D (2008) One-pot synthesis of carbon nanotube@sno2 − au coaxial nanocable for lithium-ion batteries with high rate capability. Chem Mater 20:6951

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Grigoriants I, Sominski L, Li H, Ifargan I, Aurbach D, Gedanken A (2005) The use of tin-decorated mesoporous carbon as an anode material for rechargeable lithium batteries Chem Commun 921.

  11. Su F, Zhao XS, Wang Y, Zeng J, Zhou Z, Lee JY (2005) Synthesis of graphitic ordered macroporous carbon with a three-dimensional interconnected pore structure for electrochemical applications. J Phys Chem B 109:20200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kim T, Mo YH, Nahm KS, Oh SM (2006) Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a buffer layer in silicon/CNTs composite electrodes for lithium secondary batteries. J Power Sources 162:1275

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lee JH, Kim WJ, Kim JY, Lim SH, Lee SM (2008) Spherical silicon/graphite/carbon composites as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. J Power Sources 176:353

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ng SH, Wang J, Wexler D, Chew SY, Liu HK (2007) Amorphous carbon-coated silicon nanocomposites: a low-temperature synthesis via spray pyrolysis and their application as high-capacity anodes for lithium-ion batteries. J Phys Chem C 111:11131

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Saint J, Morcrette M, Larcher D, Laffont L, Beattie S, Pérès JP, Talaga D, Couzi M, Tarascon JM (2007) Towards a fundamental understanding of the improved electrochemical performance of silicon–carbon composites. Adv Funct Mater 17:1765

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ma H, Cheng F, Chen J, Zhao J, Li C, Tao Z, Liang J (2007) Nest-like silicon nanospheres for high-capacity lithium storage. Adv Mater 19:4067

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ng SH, Wang J, Wexler D, Konstantinov K, Guo ZP, Liu HK (2006) Highly reversible lithium storage in spheroidal carbon-coated silicon nanocomposites as anodes for lithium-ion batteries. Angew Chem Int Ed 45:6896

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hu YS, Demir-Cakan R, Titirici Mm, Mueller JO, Schloegl R, Antonietti A, Maier J (2008) Superior storage performance of a Si@SiOx/C nanocomposite as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Angew Chem Int Ed 47:1645

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Peng K, Jie J, Zhang W, Lee ST (2008) Silicon nanowires for rechargeable lithium-ion battery anodes. Appl Phys Lett 93:033105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Dimov N, Kugino S, Yoshio M (2003) Carbon-coated silicon as anode material for lithium ion batteries: advantages and limitations. Electrochim Acta 48:1579

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kima JH, Sohn HJ, Kim H, Jeong G, Choi W (2007) Enhanced cycle performance of SiO-C composite anode for lithium-ion batteries. J Power Sources 170:456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Kang DK, Corno JA, Gole JL, Shin HC (2008) Microstructured nanopore-walled porous silicon as an anode material for rechargeable lithium batteries. J Electrochem Soc 155:A276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Jung YS, Lee KT, Oh SM (2007) Si–carbon core–shell composite anode in lithium secondary batteries. Electrochim Acta 52:7061

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kim H, Cho J, Lett N (2008) Superior lithium electroactive mesoporous Si@Carbon core−shell nanowires for lithium battery. Anode Material 8:3688

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Guo TG, Hu YS, Sigle W, Maier J (2007) Superior electrode performance of nanostructured mesoporous TiO2 (Anatase) through efficient hierarchical mixed conducting networks. Adv Mater 19:2087

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Wang DW, Fang HT, Li F, Chen ZG, Zhong QS, Lu GQ, Cheng HM (2008) Aligned titania nanotubes as an intercalation anode material for hybrid electrochemical energy storage. Adv Funct Mater 18:3787

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Jitianu A, Cacciaguerra T, Benoit R, Delpeux S, Beguin F, Bonnamy S (2004) Synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotubes–TiO2 nanocomposites. Carbon 42:1147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Takami N, Inagaki H, Kishi T, Harada Y, Fujita T, Hoshina K (2009) Electrochemical kinetics and safety of 2-volt class Li-ion battery system using lithium titanium oxide anode. J Electrochem Soc 156:A128

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Fu LJ, Liu H, Zhang HP, Li C, Zhang T, Wu YP, Wu HQ (2006) Novel TiO2/C nanocomposites for anode materials of lithium ion batteries. J Power Sources 159:219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Dahn JR, Zheng T, Liu Y, Xue JS (1995) Mechanisms for lithium insertion in carbonaceous. Mater Sci 270:590

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Sato K, Noguchi M, Demachi A, Oki N, Endo M (1994) A mechanism of lithium storage in disordered carbons. Science 264:556

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Bonino F, Brutti S, Reale P, Scrosati B, Gherghel L, Wu J, Muellen K (2005) A disordered carbon as a novel anode material in lithium-ion cells. Adv Mater 17:743

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lee KT, Lytle JC, Ergang NS, Oh SM, Stein A (2005) Synthesis and rate performance of monolithic macroporous carbon electrodes for lithium-ion secondary batteries. Adv Funct Mater 15:547

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Flandroisa S, Simon B (1999) Carbon materials for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Carbon 37:165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Endo M, Kim C, Nishimura K, Fujino T, Miyashita K (2000) Recent development of carbon materials for Li ion batteries. Carbon 38:183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Huang Y, Cai H, Feng D, Gu D, Deng Y, Tu B, Wang H, Webleyb PA, Zhao D (2008) One-step hydrothermal synthesis of ordered mesostructured carbonaceous monoliths with hierarchical porosities. Chem Commun 2641

  37. Mochida I, Ku CH, Yoon SH, Korai Y (1998) Anodic performance and mechanism of mesophase-pitch-derived carbons in lithium ion batteries. J Power Sources 75:214

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Teixidor GT, Zaouk RB, Park BY, Madou MJ (2008) Fabrication and characterization of three-dimensional carbon electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. J Power Sources 183:730

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Kavan L (1997) Electrochemical carbon. Chem Rev 97:3061

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Megahead S, Scrosati B (1994) Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. J Power Sources 51:79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. L. F. Nazar and O. Crosnier In: Lithium Batteries Sciences and Technology, G. -A. Nazri and G. Pistoria, (eds) p. 112, Kluwer Academic/Plenum, Boston (2004)

  42. Hasegawa T, Mukai SR, Shirota Y, Tamon T (2004) Preparation of carbon gel microspheres containing silicon powder for lithium ion battery anodes. Carbon 42:2573

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Eom JY, Park JW, Kwon HS, Rajendran S (2006) Electrochemical insertion of lithium into multiwalled carbon nanotube/silicon composites produced by ballmilling. J Electrochem Soc 153:A1678

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Shu J, Li H, Yang R, Shi Y, Huang X (2006) Cage-like carbon nanotubes/Si composite as anode material for lithium ion batteries. Electrochem Commun 8:51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Zhang Y, Zhange XG, Zhang HL, Zhao ZG, Li F, Liu C, Cheng HM (2006) Composite anode material of silicon/graphite/carbon nanotubes for Li-ion batteries. Electrochim Acta 51:94

    Google Scholar 

  46. Wang W, Kumta PN (2007) Reversible high capacity nanocomposite anodes of Si/C/SWNTs for rechargeable Li-ion batteries. J Power Sources 172:650

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Holmberg K, Joensson B, Kronberg B, Lindman B (2003) Surfactants and Polymers in Aqueous Solution. Wiley, West Sussex, England

    Google Scholar 

  48. Jang J, Bae J (2004) Fabrication of polymer nanofibers and carbon nanofibers by using a salt-assisted microemulsion polymerization. Angew Chem Int Ed 43:3803

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. JE Mark (1999) in Polymer Data Handbook, Oxford University Press, New York, USA

  50. Jang J, Oh J (2004) A top–down approach to fullerene fabrication using a polymer nanoparticle precursor. Adv Mater 16:1650

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Chan CK, Peng H, Liu G, Mcilwrath K, Zhang XF, Huggins RA, Cui Y (2008) High-performance lithium battery anodes using silicon nanowires. Nature Nanotechnol 3:31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Aurbach D, Nimberger A, Markovsky B, Levi E, Sominski E, Gedanken A (2002) Nanoparticles of SnO produced by sonochemistry as anode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries. Chem Mater 14:4155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Lee HY, Lee SM (2004) Carbon-coated nano-Si dispersed oxides/graphite composites as anode material for lithium ion batteries. Electrochem Commun 6:465

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Research Center, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics, Yong-in, Gyeong-gi Province, Republic of Korea, 446–712

    Joonwon Bae

Authors
  1. Joonwon Bae
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joonwon Bae.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bae, J. Fabrication of carbon microcapsules containing silicon nanoparticles for anode in lithium ion battery. Colloid Polym Sci 289, 1233–1241 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-011-2449-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-011-2449-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation